First Impressions
by Rosa Cotton
Summary: It was all because of him that she arrived at the game Saturday night dressed like this with the invitation in her purse. But she had not expected him to have a friend at the game. A FEMALE friend…


Disclaimer: The _Hardy Boys_ and _Nancy Drew_ do not belong to me; this story gives me no profit but fun. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This plot bunny went left when I wanted it to go right. ::cough::

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First Impressions

Callie's smile was forced as she followed Iola and sat on the end of a bleacher with a few of the girls in their class and in front of their friends Biff, Tony, Phil, Jerry, Chet, Joe, and Frank.

Iola twisted around a bit to face the others behind her. "Hey, guys!" she raised her voice to be heard over the many voices, squeaking tennis shoes, and dribbling basketballs in the gym. She gave an affectionate smile towards her brother before focusing on Joe and Frank.

After silently counting to five, Callie reluctantly turned, too. She swallowed nervously as she looked straight up at Frank. His dark hair shone under the lights of the gym, and his chocolate brown eyes twinkled.

It was because of him she was here in her purple sparkling shirt and favorite long skirt, with her hair up and held in place with a clip, and wearing more makeup than was usual for her. The last invitation to her seventeenth birthday party was in her purse; unlike the others she had dropped in the mail three days ago, this one she had wanted to deliver in person. Tonight, she hoped, Frank Hardy would finally really see her.

But her plan was already going awry as the object of her huge crush leaned over and said something to the reddish blonde-haired girl sitting between him and his brother. Who was that?

"Glad you made it," Joe's voice drew her attention to him. "You'll be getting pizza after the game, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Iola answered after sharing a quick look with her friend, who nodded.

"Great." His smile turned flirtatious.

She blushed and busied herself with tucking her short brown hair behind her ears.

Callie found her voice and called to Joe, "How are you doing?"

"Never better," Joe replied, "especially now that our long-lost sister has arrived and Frank's stopped worrying." He threw his left arm around the girl's shoulders.

"_Joe_," she and Frank groaned in unison.

"Now, now, it is just a possibility you were separated from us at birth," he said with a mock solemn expression on his face. "We are so alike it is almost scary."

"Never mind that I'm older than you!" the girl tried to hold back her laughter.

"And you should have seen Frank at the airport when we found out your flight was delayed. He paced nearly the entire hour before you arrived. He even started wearing a hole in the floor." Joe's eyes danced while Frank turned red with embarrassment.

The girl and Iola burst out laughing. A few chuckles escaped Callie; yet she recovered from her own mirth before the others did from theirs. She sneaked another inspecting look at the girl. Her hair reached past her shoulders and was set off by the blue shirt she wore with faded jeans. She patted Frank on the shoulder, and he shook his head. While Joe teased her like a good friend, Callie was most curious about what exactly she was to Frank. Her mom had told her never to assume, but Callie could not help wondering yet again if the mysterious, very pretty girl was Frank's girlfriend. She was almost fearful of discovering the answer.

"So…," Iola wiped at her eyes. "You never told us you had a sister," she accused playfully.

Frank spoke before Joe could. "Iola, Callie, this is Nancy Drew from River Heights. She is visiting for the weekend. Nancy, meet Iola Morton and Callie Shaw," he made the introductions.

Nancy Drew…, Callie realized with a sinking feeling. _The_ Nancy Drew whom the Hardys talked so much about. And, if she remembered correctly, whom she had overheard Joe tease his brother about.

She and Iola shook hands with Nancy.

"It is nice to meet you," Callie said politely with a small smile.

Iola nodded silently.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you finally." Nancy leaned closer towards the blond-haired girl. "I've heard so—" The rest of her words were drowned out by wild cheering: the Bayport Ravens had just scored.

Both girls momentarily turned their gazes to the court before returning their attention to each other.

Nancy spoke loudly amidst the loud cheering, "Perhaps I should wait… I would like to talk with you." She appeared both apologetic and uncertain.

"Later, at the pizza parlor?" Callie suggested.

"Okay," Nancy agreed with a smile and sat back fully on the bleacher.

Callie watched her say something to Frank. He grinned broadly and gave Nancy a one-arm hug.

The girl resolutely faced forward, willing herself not to cry here in front of everyone. For a moment she caught Iola's sympathetic eye, but that made her feel worse. She stared at the court instructing herself to concentrate on the game and to forget about her wonderings regarding Frank and Nancy, whether they were a couple, and the invitation in her purse…

An immeasurable time later, a light tap on her shoulder nearly made Callie jump. Quickly she turned her head. "Don't—" she abruptly stopped, and her cheeks warmed. She was face to face with Frank Hardy.

"Callie, I wanted to ask you…" he trailed off and rubbed the back of his head before meeting her eyes again, his expression questioning and perhaps hurt. "Joe has been waving your birthday invitation about since it came, and I was wondering if I'd be getting one or if I'd done something not to make the guest list."

She could only blink at him blankly for several seconds, her mind in a whirl. He was disappointed at not being invited? He thought she was upset with him?

"I mean, that's all right if…," Frank began.

"N-n-no! No, I was going to invite… It was just… I misplaced it and…" Callie shook her head, knowing she was making no sense and instead fished the invitation from her purse. "Here it is," she said, offering it to him.

His gaze flickered between her and the envelope with his name written on it.

"I'm not upset with you or anything, Frank. I was, _am_, inviting you to my party. I would be very happy if you came."

He accepted the invitation, his hand brushing hers a little. "Thanks for inviting me. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Callie's stomach did a flip-flop. Her smile, her first genuine one since arriving, was shy. "You're welcome."

"Save me a seat later?"

It took her a second to understand his request; her eyes widened, and she blushed to the roots of her hair. Mutely she nodded. Frank's smile of contentment sent her stomach doing more flip-flops. Before she turned back to the game, he added:

"You should wear your hair like that more often. It is really nice."

_Maybe, just maybe_, Callie thought as she turned around after thanking him, _there's still hope for me after all_.

THE END


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